British News Agency

He stated that the bloc is "assessing the scope of the measures announced overnight" but will "respond decisively and proportionally with countermeasures."

Maroš Šefčovič said: "Europe is facing an increasingly complex world, marked by competition and unpredictability, which affects, among other things, our global trade relations within the EU.

Regarding our relations with the United States, unfortunately, tariffs are back.

Overnight, the US President signed a declaration imposing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to the US starting from March 12; he also announced reciprocal tariffs on other products this week.

We deeply regret these decisions and announcements. The EU believes there is no justification for imposing tariffs on our exports, especially given the deeply integrated production chains established through our extensive transatlantic trade and investment ties.

Tariffs are taxes: they are bad for businesses, even worse for consumers, and by imposing them, the US is essentially taxing its own citizens, increasing costs for its businesses, and fueling inflation. Furthermore, tariffs not only harm directly involved trading partners but also risk having disruptive effects on many others and the global trade system. Simply put, this is a lose-lose scenario. …

We are currently assessing the scope of the measures announced overnight and will respond decisively and proportionally with countermeasures."